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Author Notes:Inspired by an espresso with sambuca and a twist of lemon peel, these super crunchy biscotti are begging to be dunked into an espresso. This recipe is adapted from my Chocolate Chip Biscotti for Grandpa, here in the archives, which was adapted from one of the best biscotti recipes I've ever found: the Orange Scented Biscotti from the Supreme Court Historical Society cookbook, "Chef Supreme, Martin Ginsburg". —mrslarkin

Food52 Review: The licorice-like aroma of these crunchy biscotti fills the kitchen as they bake and you canâ€™t wait to dip these delectable twice-baked cookies into a steaming hot drink of your choice: be it the first cup of coffee of the day, your favorite afternoon tea, or a post-dinner espresso. While the smell pulls you in, itâ€™s the taste that keeps your hand reaching back for more. The fennel seeds speckled throughout the treats provide a subtle, yet incredibly enticing, flavor that is just the sort of pick-me-up needed any day of the week. —snowcitygirl

1
large egg white, slightly beaten, reserved for egg wash and for dough, if needed

Set oven rack to middle position. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix together the dry ingredients, lemon zest, and fennel seed with your fingertips, pressing out any lumps of brown sugar. Attach bowl to mixer, and set up the paddle attachment.

Add in whole eggs and yolk, and mix.

Remove the super-sticky dough from the bowl (a little flour will help) and knead a few times on a lightly floured surface. Cut into two even pieces. If you have a kitchen scale, use it.

Form each piece into a log about 12 inches long by 2 inches wide, and transfer to the parchment-lined pan. It might be easier for you to form the logs right on the parchment paper. Keep the logs a good distance apart, at least 4 inches. The logs spread a lot, so don't put them too close to the sides of the pan, either.

Brush some egg wash on each log. Sprinkle tops with extra fennel seeds and sugar. Bake for 50 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool the pan on a rack for 10 minutes. DON'T TURN OFF THE OVEN!

Separate each log from the parchment paper by running a metal spatula underneath.

On a cutting board, using a serrated knife, cut the logs on the diagonal into 1/2-inch slices.

Lay the biscotti cut-side down on a new, unlined sheet pan. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove pan from oven, flip biscotti over, and bake for another 15 minutes.

Remove pan and transfer biscotti to a cooling rack to cool completely. While biscotti are cooling, make a pot of espresso.

They are absolutely delicious. I just finished baking my first batch. The combination of lemon and fennel gives the biscotti a wonderfully subtle flavour. I am looking forward to dipping them in my coffee! The instructions were very clear. I did not have very large eggs. So I added another egg to make the doug hold together. Thanks for the recipe.

Then maybe it's because of the eggs must be reaaally large. Because I just made this recipe and couldn't avhieve anythingnthan a crumble. Added 1/4 cup oil in the end. Or it could also be that I did it by hand and not with a mixer....

Very sorry. This was missing from step #3: "If dough is very dry, add reserved egg white a spoonful at a time." I'll update the recipe. Mixer could also help make a more cohesive batter. I've never tried them by hand.

Agree with everyone -- these look amazing! Biscottis are my favorite kind of cookie and I can just imagine how delicious these are with the addition of the fennel seed. These are going on my Easter menu for sure!